The Hidden Game

[GamerKale]

A few minutes later Maes was apparently done with the actual cooking. He tried to say something again and then just gave Cecile an annoyed expression, took one of the peas out of the pee pod and held it up meaningfully and then put it back in the pod giving her the same questioning look he had before. Why can't I just ask if she has any family? He thought to himself in frustration as he started plating for three people and three courses, with a fourth set of plates apparently set aside for the pudding. There were sliced tomatoes topped with mozzarella and a vinaigrette, minestrone soup, chicken parmesan, and of course some fresh baked bread.

The door opened and a woman's tired voice rang out, "Maes, I'm home. Something smells good." A red haired woman entered the room, she shared many features with Maes and wore a brown suit. "Oh, Claire didn't mention that your friends were coming over." Maes shook his head and held up a finger. "Oh, just her. Well, that's fine." She set an ID badge down on the counter that declared her Dr. Schrodinger, Psychologist and chuckled when she noticed Cecile wearing the cat ears and tail. "You have any better luck with those than I did?"

[Helbaworshipper]

"I suppose so, considering he's tried to say something. He must be very lucky to have such understanding parents." She adjusted the cat tail's location, her mind trying to figure out something she couldn't voice at the moment. The person she was, despite her intentions, was not someone that would check out. There was no way for her to even lie about her current job. Even if she could potentially quit, she had no way of being able to stay in contact with Maes. Her reputation would get the attention of all the other black market people and she would be drawn back in just for food on the table.

[GamerKale]

Dr. Schrodinger let out a weary sigh, "Understanding, right. His father was strung out most days when Maes came back and while initially happy to have my boy back I quickly grew frustrated and angry that he wouldn't even let me touch him much less talk to me. It's not a part of my life that I'm particularly proud of. When I realized how frustrated and angry I was, and how wrong it was for me to blame Maes for all of it, I went back to school so that I could try to help my son, and six months ago they told me I was a qualified psychologist. Tell me, how can a mother who can't even help her own child be qualified to treat other people?" Her phone rang and the signs of exhaustion seemed to intensify as whoever was on the line spoke. "Yes, yes, I'll be right there. Don't do anything until I get there." She looked at Maes apologetically, he nodded understanding, "Sorry, there's a situation. I have to go. It was very nice to meet my son's friend. Have a good time tonight." She kissed Maes and left.

While the girls conversed Maes filled up two glasses with wine and three with water. When Dr. Schrodinger left he did not unplate anything but he did take an angry gulp from one of the wine glasses as he sat down at the table. The air in the room was turbulent, the water in the glasses rippled, the silverware rocked slightly, and the air near the boy rose a couple of degrees from Maes's apparently stormy mood; it was probably a good thing he didn't have any of his enchanted things on him. Maes held up three fingers and then jabbed them at Cecile for emphasis before finishing off the glass of wine in one huge gulp.

[Helbaworshipper]

Cecile listened to the woman, but part of her felt she had been in Maes' position with her parents. When she had gotten sick, she hadn't had much of a support from her parents. They actually tried to understand her and keep her from the crowd. She had been in a legal mess and she had run away from the problems. If his parents had been able to reach him, he might have tried to adjust back to a normal life. She moved her seat a bit closer to Maes' and placed a hand on his. She picked up a glass of water and took a sip of it. "My parents are back in Avignon. Last I heard, they're still alive."

[nekoryuuha]

Allrainne could hear it now, the sound of metal-on-metal that was always used as the description of 'the sounds of battle'. Well, most of the sounds of battle, anyway. The lack of screams was a good thing, at least in part. While it meant no one was likely dead yet, it also meant that Zorlo, if it was in fact him fighting, wasn't dying yet either. At least, she assumed. When she turned the corner and Zorlo stumbled back into her arms, it confirmed her suspicions. "The Hell?! Are you really this stupid, Green hair? You said you were going for food, not to get yourself killed!" Allrainne replied in annoyance as she dodged back with around the corner with Zorlo as easily as if she were holding a small child. "Seriously, the Hell were you thinking doing this!?" she asked catching hold of his shield's handle as she instinctively moved it to block an incoming attack with since force that not only did she stop the attack dead, the diving Angels were knocked back off guard. "And you stay out of this!" she said to the Angels as she stepped in and punched it hard enough to launch it into a wall across the street and crack it, her fist's imprint in the Fallen Angel's breastplate.

"Ow... sucker's hard..." she muttered as she shook her hand a moment. The others backed off this new, golden-eyed enemy a moment and she looked back to see Zorlo regrouping himself to continue the fight. That made her smile. It made protecting him reasonable since he hadn't given up. A Question came to her suddenly. "Zorlo, you haven given up even in the face of these odds?"

"Nay. This Human of mine is rather...stubborn... in that regard."

...Okay, she had no clue as to who the hell just said that and probably would've been startled and/or confused had she not been distracted by her own surge of power that the statement seemed to unlock. A flare of bright light covered her a moment as the ground cracked beneath her. When she was visible again, they found her radically different. Covered from head to toe in heavy, white & blue armor with a matching helm and wing-like protrusions, her look was intimidating to say the least as she looked over herself. She was fully encased in this armor, yet she could see better then even without it and could breath complete normal. It was strange, but felt right. The Fallen Angel re-circled above her, chanting like before with Zorlo and she looked up to see what was happening. "We will bring judgment upon humanity and all that seek to protect it. We no more need you mortals than we need angels or demons. Everything will disappear!" As one, the five dove to attack Allrainne like five, black-fletched arrows. Zorlo yelled a warning, but Allrainne brushed it off as she her arm defensively. Almost on cue, a massive Greatshield formed above her to block all five at once, the Armored Woman not even flinching as the words 'Immovable Object' momentarily appeared next to her shield.

[Zorolo]

Zorlo smiled as he watched their attacks failed. "She's really tough. I think... I think..."

You think you're in love, right human? Your kind cannot help such peculiar emotions.

Zorlo laughed. "I wouldn't quite say I feel that way, but I'd say its something close. I came here because I wanted to see what our enemy was like and test out these supposed "powers" I received. She came here looking for something... hell if he knew what. Zorlo had gotten food and their clothing, but SHE didn't know that.

So, human, do you want to help her? Or shall you remain jaw agape?

Zorlo nodded. The attacks of the angels were still producing a strong burst of wind as their light swords and bullets simply clashed with the shield. "I'd love to, but I can't really move..."

The sword's voice laughed in Zorlo's head. For the next second or two, he smiled as the laughter continued. "You done yet?"

Forgive me, I lament that I neglect the limitation of mortals. If you desire my aid, I have something that may help.

Zorlo smiled and licked his lips. "Anything. I have justice to visit upon these creatures.

The sword laughed against hysterically as Zorlo spoke and words began to flow through Zorlo's mind as a story unfolded. I am Aincrad. Once, i was the master of a great iron castle in the sky. I had seven great treasures... each a sword. Each had its own unique quality. The first was a shield that had a sword set into it that could be moved into place and locked to wield effectively. This sword also could condense magical power and fire projectiles in the form of magical swords. The armor I created for it was light and mobile, allowing me to even sail the sea of clouds for a period of time. It was called Exia.

"Exia!" Zorlo called out as his body began to glow. Lighter, more aerodynamic armor covered his body as his shield and sword fused. THe blade swung from the side and locked at the front of the shield as Zorlo burst forwards. His speed seemingly amplified greatly.

Exia's power is that of speed. It grants you a long range attack and the ability to move when most would be hampered... however, your defense is almost nonexistent.

Zorlo nodded as he held his arm up and focused his magic. In a burst, a sword of energy shot from the shield and pierced the angel's armor, throwing it back slightly. WIth an incredibly quick step, Zorlo appeared behind the Fallen Angel and slashed quickly, cutting the man in half at the waist. "I"ll cut through you all!" Zorlo stated as two of the angels turned their attacks on him to shoot him down before the girl could move again.

[GamerKale]

Maes gripped Cecile's hand and took several calming breaths, when he was done everything stilled. It had taken a lot of work on several people's parts, but he had gotten used to the concept of people touching his hands and Claire had made sure he knew that when she grabbed one of his he needed to just relax and trust her. He opened his mouth to say something, nothing came out, so he let out an exasperated breath, smiled at Cecile, and squeezed her hand. Maes let go and brought over the tomatoes.

The head of one of the fallen snapped forward and then it's body jerked hard as if it had been clipped by a truck. "Syria all over again." Claire said disdainfully to herself. "But I'm ready for you this time." She quickly switched to anti-material ammo and continued firing her suppressed rifle from a room in a tall office building on the far side of the park.

While they ate, a thought crossed Maes's mind, Does everybody have the same ability as me? He set a pair of candles down on the table and touched the wick with a finger; after several seconds of focus the slowly darkening, twisting, and eventually smoking wick caught flame. He gave Cecile a questioning look and motioned towards the other candle.

[Helbaworshipper]

Cecile hadn't thought about what power she had received. She started to focus on the candle, the fork in her hand. The wick started to move, melding with the holder and starting to form what looked to be a wax dome with a metal spike barrier. She didn't touch it, but seemed a bit surprised. 'Protection and traps at the same time? That is a bit surprising for a power, considering my job.' She stared at the model, wondering if she could turn it back before anyone else saw it. She felt her phone start to vibrate in her pocket. 'If I leave him, it'll be just like his parents. What if he follows me?'

[nekoryuuha]

Allrainne narrowed her eyes as the Fallen angels relentlessly came at her while Zorlo took two of the enemies attention away from her. While she felt the overwhelming strength and the feeling of imperviousness to serious harm, she just felt slower even though she didn't feel hampered at all by her armor and shield. That was probably the price she paid for this strength, adaptive slowness. So when the powerful sniper shots from the distant Claire dropped one of the Fallen Angels harassing her, it was very much the Godsend she needed.
With the other two momentary distracted, she had the time needed to focus on the 'Words That Weren't Words' in the back of her mind. The overly massive Greatshield shone a moment as it shrank down to something close to a tower shield and a what was clearly a massive, dual-edged greatsword appeared in her free hand in time for the Fallen Angels to realize their mistake and attack. Allrainne thrust forward with her shield at the first attack stopped the attack dead, the extra force knocking the Angel off-balance. So when her overhead swing came down, nothing could've prepared the Fallen Angel for the force that put in literally in the pavement, sword broken and armor & body near-completely split in half. That one was done; stick a fork in it.
The next Fallen Angel was already incoming, but was caught completely off-guard by the bullet that blew clean through it's armor and Allrainne's slightly higher speed. The 'Words That Weren't Words' came again as her shield shifted to her shoulder on its own. "Brutal Swing!!" A burst of force from her wing-like armor pieces helped launch her forward in a heavy shield tackle into the reeling Fallen Angel. Black feathers exploded out everywhere from the Angel as Allrainne caved in both it's chest and armor before the actual two-handed swing, using the flat of her blade this time, put what was left in a person-shaped indent in the nearby stone wall. Two down for her. she turned to the other Angels now, her shield returning to her arm again, and pointed her sword as she said, "Where's your God now, Fallen!?!", which was followed by a rude gesture. It was clearly both insult and challenge to these fallen Angels.


On Arianna's side, things were far calmer then the fighting nearby, if no less strange. Much like Maes and Cecile, she'd gotten to trying out different things and, while trying to acquire the cereal off the top of the refrigerator, rather accidentally discovered herself far more capable of moving around. She could jump and fall slowly and she seemed able to functionally 'glide' around just off the ground, though she was still too shaky and unsteady to do it at all well yet.

[Zorolo]

Zorlo had seen the Fallen be shot down suddenly and smiled. Either someone had his back, or some higher force was looking out for him. The Sword Mage smiled as he watched Allraine work and landed on the ground. The only nice thing about his armor was it made descending slow and ascending fast, but it also required angles to get effective force to move. The blade attached to his shield retracted and the green-haired man smiled.

The Fallen Angel regrouped after the insult and picked up a second light sword as he took a deep breath. Rushing forwards like a bat out of hell, he raised his swords to strike Allraine.

The next few seconds of his life were no doubt short and painful. Bursting past like a bullet, Zorlo sliced through the Fallen Angel at the waist while Allraine smashed the torso into a nearby building on the other side of the street. The green-haired man stood up as his blade flipped back into its resting position as he stared at Allraine. "You're really good. Still, I think that last kill goes to me," he said proudly as his arm flowed back into his arm-blade, which turned into a simple sword and shield in his hand.

Spinning his sword and sheathing it in the shield, the two items vanished as Zorlo stared at Allraine for another moment. Damn was she strong.

~~~~

A knock came at the door of Zorlo's apartment. A voice echoed in that sounded oddly like Arianna's sister. "Arianna, come now. Let me in, I'm being chased!" the female Fallen Angel stated as she licked her lips and drew her gun armed with light bullets. "If you don't, they'll catch me!" she yelled at the door, sounding slightly annoyed.

[GamerKale]

Claire packed her rifle up and headed back to the Schrodinger estate. "That's quite enough distractions, for one day." She said as she admired a few new photos she had on her phone. "I'll print them off and look at them later. Should probably let Maes know, I don't want him freaking out just because the printer came on."

Maes looked at the creation curiously. So not the same as me. Interesting. I wonder what everybody else can do. When he stood to serve the pudding he also put his jacket back on. His phone rang with the sound of screeching tires when he sat back down, a text message from Claire, which he ignored. She's probably just letting me know that she's on her way back. A few seconds later the printer in the study whirred to life. He nodded towards Cecile in apology and checked out the printer. It was photos of Zorlo and Allraine wearing armor and then he noticed the fallen in the pictures as well and his breath caught, the papers in the room flying up and away from him. The door slammed shut from the sudden gust of winds and Maes crouched down as he breathed erratically, and created a small tornado centered around himself. The tornado fluctuated drastically in strength with every passing second.

Morgan came tearing through the house like a bat out of hell, and found himself unable to shove the door to the study open with his little cat body. "Ok, this is either going to be a good idea or a terrible idea. You comfort him after we switch." He mewed, not caring about the fact that Cecile couldn't understand him, just before he switched. The tornado did not die down, apparently Maes still had control of his own magic, but now Morgan found himself in the middle of it and he genuinely wondered if being able to see was as good as everybody tried to make it out to be, so he just stayed put and did his best not to move, lest he get Maes hurt by one of the objects being flung about by the wind wall surrounding him.

Maes, now in Morgan's body, was still panicking and breathing erratically he was just probably going to cause Morgan to hyperventilate now.

[Helbaworshipper]

Cecile gently held the cat in her arms, closing her eyes. It seemed that the creatures had been familiar to Maes, far too familiar. Nightmares were always the strongest when they were close at hand. She closed her eyes and began to pet the cat gently as she spoke softly to him. She wondered what sort of story that would help him calm down. "Once upon a time there was a Country called the pasta kingdom. In this country lived a prince who loved pasta. Everyday he ate nothing but pasta..." She kept herself from thinking about the phone.

[GamerKale]

The tornado intensified initially when Cecile picked Maes up. It took several minutes, and Morgan switching lung control a couple of times to keep himself from losing consciousness. It was a very weird sensation that. but Maes calmed down and the tornado dissolved. He was still shuddering and had dug claws into Cecile's arms to hang on. Morgan stood up, slowly and a thought finally occurred to him. "Why didn't I take this off before?" He took the coat off and looked around for what had triggered the attack, he found one of the photos. Morgan crouched next to Cecile. "Looks like the others had a run in with some fallen." Maes clung to Cecile a little tighter. "If I'm interpreting this correctly, and I like to think that I am, Claire whelmed them with brass, I think that's phrase. Oh and that guy and the fit girl helped. We have no reason to worry about them, right Maes?" He purred something that must have been an affirmative because Morgan crumpled up the picture and they switched back. Morgan tossed around a little to get more comfortable in Cecile's arms. And Maes mouthed the words 'Thank you.' He looked at what was left of the study, the filing cabinet was through a wall, the printer was nowhere to be seen probably out the shattered window, and given the damage it was a miracle that nothing had come flying out to crush Cecile.

Claire coughed to announce her presence. "Uh, kids, you know if y'all wanted to destroy some stuff. You could have just asked, I would have gotten some explosives. Hell, we could have gone out to the range, grabbed some incendiary rounds and zombie clown targets, and made a whole day of it even." You know, you'd think those grey skinned flyboys would have been the strangest part of my day, but no. Nearly getting offed by that stupid grinning pumpkin magnet falling from on high was.

[Helbaworshipper]

"I..." Cecile's voice was soft as she kept petting Morgan, not seeming to mind the pain that had been given to her when Maes had clawed for safety at her arms. "I'm a drug dealer. I don't know if that will effect how things go or what happens, but I..." She wanted to tell him that she wanted to help him despite her position. However, she felt insecure about just leaving the past behind even a little. There was too much to consider and she'd have to leave the next day to work if she was going to balance it.

[GamerKale]

Maes blinked at her a couple of times and then shrugged and dug out a bottle of drugs to mime taking them. "Maes may not mind, but his security is my concern, and I will not allow him to consort with a drug dealer." Maes placed himself between Cecile and Claire. She sighed, "Maes, we are not going to discuss this. I am well aware of how often I've pressed the need for you to make friends, but I will not allow you to put yourself in greater danger by associating with a drug dealer. I've known several a few were even friends, but eventually things got bloody around them. In the best case, she'll get arrested and you will be dragged into a police station under suspicion of supplying her, do you honestly believe you could handle that?" She looked at the study pointedly. Maes followed her gaze and started breathing rapidly. Claire took his hands comfortingly and smiled at him. "Ultimately though, the decision isn't yours. It's hers." Claire turned her gaze on Cecile. "From my perspective, you have two options. Option 1, after tonight we never see you again and you just go back to your little hovel with a steel door and plaster walls which anybody with an IQ in the triple digits can figure out would be the much simpler method of getting in to kill you and take your stash or just take out the competition. Or Option 2, you never have anything to do with anybody you've ever associated with again and we kill Cecile Blanc, and tomorrow my niece, Cecile Rougelot, comes to visit her dear aunt Claire."

[Helbaworshipper]

'I suppose it was inevitable that I would...' She knew that she couldn't accept the offer. Her arms slowly let go of Morgan. "I can't erase my identity just to satisfy your sense of protection. I can't accept an offer made so hastily or without your understanding of my background." She smiled towards Maes and Morgan. "I'm sorry, but I'm only able to protect you when I'm myself and not using something to destroy something so basic. If I ever see you again, please say hello in some way." She knew it was going to sound stupid to put down a perfectly good offer, but she had no intention of hiding her past away. She didn't want to be someone who hid under aliases for the rest of her life. She grasped her purse and coat gently. "I'll walk myself out and don't worry, I'll do my best not to be around them unless it's necessary."

[nekoryuuha]

Allrainne laughed a moment at his comment as she let her weapons vanish, knowing that there was nothing left to threaten them for the moment. "Like I care with enemies like these!" she replied as she liked at one and poked it hard, denting it's armor. "Wow, these guys have got to be made of something weak, like papier-mâché..." She paused as she looked closer at Zorlo, thinking about the armor from earlier that he wore. "Or Exia, maybe. That looked pretty fragile too. I felt like I might dent it just looking hard at it," she finished as her helm and armor shifted to its partial armor state. "Huh...that worked. So, unless you suddenly have a death wish, you had a reason to do this. What happened?"

Arianna jumped when the knock came. She'd been distracted by the new, strange symbols that had appeared at some point on her palms. "Com-ing..." she replied as she paused in walking toward to door. This was... strange. Where was Zorlo at? She said she'd be back with him. "S-sister...? Where's Zorlo...?" she asked, her hands tingling now and without apparent reason.

[Zorolo]

"I decided I owed you and your sister for getting you two stuck in my house," the green-haired man said as he carried the bags over and set them down in front of the woman with a smile. "I would have reclaimed your car, but they swarmed me after I got the door open and grabbed your clothes. Anyway, get back to my apartment and make sure your sister is safe. I'm gonna go check on that kid and the mouthy little girl. Oh... and that cat," Zorlo stated blankly as he started walking off. "I'll probably be home tonight, not that you care," he said with a chuckle.

With that, Zorlo started off towards where he had seen Maes car heading off. He assumed, given the weapons his driver had, Maes' house wouldn't be TOO hard to find. Probably somewhere that seemed... opulent?

~~~

"Dead, and you're about to join him!" the Fallen Angel said as her veil vanished and drew a light sword. "We'll punish you humans for your interference in our business!"

[nekoryuuha]

Allrainne looked at the bags and laughed, shaking her head as she grabbed then. "Don't say it like that. It's not like I want you dead or something so I can steal your apartment," she replied. She slapped him on the back and nearly sent him sprawling. "Ah... sorry. But don't take it too hard. Do your best there," she said to him as she walked off. It wasn't until afterward that she paused, realizing something. "Crap, I said I was going to come back with him. The hell am I gonna say now...?" She mused.


"N-no way... Impossible..." Arianna murmured in disbelief as she stepped back in surprise of the voice that sounded on the other side of the locked door. Something like pain lanced through her hand and she shifted from it in time for bullets of light to tear through the door near where she was just a moment before. That got her mind running. She needed to get away. When the bullets stopped, she ran at Zorlo's room door and slammed it shut before hiding just out of sight behind the couch. It was barely in time as the Fallen Angel kicked in the door and began shooting around, laughing. A beam came through the couch near her and just barely missed the scarred girl and terror took her a moment. The Fallen Angel knew. That was it. But the finisher never came as the next beam blew through a farther part of the couch in several places. The shots were soundless, but with the tingling of her palms, she could almost 'feel' the shots: All throughout the lower cabinet doors and through the bathroom & bedroom doors before, she assumed at least from the sudden crash, the Fallen kicked in the door. She didn't know where she was. The thought brought relief, but she didn't accept it yet. So, with a quick check to make sure, the Fallen was occupied, she concentrated and glided silently for the hallway door.

[GamerKale]

"Hang on." Maes looked up at Claire with a glimmer of hope, but frowned and sat down when he heard her continue. "I'll drive you. I doubt you're staying anywhere nearby. Maes, stay put and keep an eye on Morgan, I don't need to worry about him." He sighed and picked the cat up as he started putting the study back together.

In the hummer, Claire turned to Cecile before they got going. "An interesting statement coming from a runaway. Oh well, what you do with your life is not my problem. Hell, I ran away when I was your age too, although I went out and learned how to kill people. Anyways, I need to know everything you do about this." When she drove off she handed Cecile her phone with video footage of the fight playing. "You were all together at Sexy's place so I'm sure you know something and I would also like to know if Maes got dragged into things. If you want I can go eliminate some of your competitors as payment for the information."